Railroad crossing



March 27, 1928. 6 1,664,061

R. E. COTTER RAILROAD CROSSING Filed June 1; 1927 2 $heets-$heet 1 A Z'IOR-NEY.

Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH E. GOTTER, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

RAILROAD CROSSING. 5

Application filed-June 1a, 1927. Serial No. 198,446.

that practically continuous rails will be obtained for a passing train.

Another object is the provision of acontinuous crossing of the character designated so as to eliminate the noiseand jar ae ial as possible incident to a train passing thereover. 7

Another object is the provision pered elements at the points of the crossing intersections to reduce wear to aminimum.

Av further object of my inventionis the provision of a simple, practical andduirable I V -w1l1 specifically describe a structure adapted track construction ofthe character referred to, which is thoroughly reliable andefficient tion.

A further object in use and entirely automatic inits opera-y of the invention is a track construction of the class designated present I V other angles, 1s obvious.

ing continuous rail intersections that are adapted to be broken 'bythe flange of the wheel passing thereover and immediately restored to normal continuity again by means directly therebeneath; v

' And a still further object is the provision of ajhousing at, each intersection point of my crossing structure forming the anchor thereat, and which housing is. designed to carry the working parts and a lubricant to submergethe said parts.

Other and ancillary objects of my invention will be suggested in the following description and in the use of the device of my invention. Certain of the objects or certain portions or combinations of the objects of my invention may be attained with the use of less than all its advantageous features,

or with modifications-within its purview.

- It is petitioned therefore, that myinvention be limited only by the claims constituting its final determination. F "1' .Referring t the wings:

Figure 1' is a plan of a-rallroad crossing I embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged of the rail intersections. 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse cross-section along the line'3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing,

in full lines, the gap-fillingblock in normal continuous-rail operative position in one direction, and in dot-and-dash lines the same of temjust above the respective extensions. detail plan ofone spaced Fig.5 is an end view of the upper portion of Fig.2, and showing in particular the relative surfaces of the rails and housing block. I

Like parts are indicated by similar characters ofrefere'ncethroughout the difl'erent figures; i

I have I ing track rails that intersect at right-angles, continuous. YVhile I have illustrated and The numeral 10"ndicates, in general, the

housing offmy invention and as, here shown there are four in number. The-housings constitute the anchoring blocks for theinter-' sections of the rail crossings. Eachhousing consists of :a Walled structure having an open top and a closed bottom 11. To the walls of the housing are cast, in opposed and aligned relation, extensions 12,13, 14

and 15, adapted to receivein shallow recesses on the top surfaces thereof, the rail ends 12, 13, 14 and 15 respectively) The fianges of each rail end are" bedded in the said recesses of the extensions, the latter being so positioned on the housings thatthe rail..'heads.are supported on the, top ed es of {the housings and the rail flanges on the extensions thereof ;f the ends of. the

Lrails 14;andf15ffare cutaway as at 16 so that, the rail head-may-rest on the top edge of the housing wall. "Spaced flanges 17- integral with the housingand are positio eeld e respective webs of the rails fit within the flanges and through these flanges and the web,-bolts 22 are placed to form the securing bond for each rail, the whole forming the fabrication for the railroad crossing structure as illustrated in Fig. 1; The un-- alignedrail ends 12' and 13" are m tered as illustrated a struct 'ute for rendershown in, Fig. 2,, but otherwise are supported and secured as the remaining pair of unaligned rail ends.

the inner face of the housing wall, Fig. 4. It will thus be noted, with this construction, that gaps are formed in the rail intersection.

Means are provided to fill the gaps to make a continuous rail formation at the intersection to accommodate" trains passing thereover coming from eithendirection: My preferred means consists of gapdi'lling' elements 23' formed of any suitable metal and tempered to withstand the strains and stresses they will be intermittently subjected to. cured in the Walls ofvthe housing; at. predetermined" points 25; 26', thereof: The function? of the pinis to permit the pivotal movement of the element thereabout when a wheelr27, Fig. 3, approaching the element from a direct-ion transverse to' the axis of the pin, contacts the side of the element with its flange 27' and rotatively. pushes'i ticlear 25' sage of the wheel thereover in theplane of the rail surface.

to break the. rail-joint. th'ereatz'fbn the pas- Mieansi are provided". in the housing for restorrngtheisa1d':element to normal" position again immediately'after the passing of thesaidwheelthereover; and

which means consists of a suitable coil spring 28" positioned directly therebeneath 32 and: 33 having cylindrical bearings 32' and' 33 concentric with the pins. 241, the lowermost surface of" the block element 23 being correspondingly cylindrical to engage the" said bearings. It, will be observed by referring to Fig: that the bltick may be 7 considered undenmaximuin compressionas the body 34 of a wh'eeli 34' directly thereabove.

To insure workable conditions throughout the year ofmycrossing constlnctiomf prefer to have: the housing somewhat deeper than-the depth of the rail to house andsecure the working parts therein, and adapt the major portion of the housing to he filled with any lubricating medium suitable for i the, district in which my railroad crossing is employed. 7

lovers 35, 36 and 37 are preferably se- The latter terminate with their rail head substantially flush with:

The elements are pivoted to pinsQl'. se

cured flush]. with: the top of the-housing. in a recess 38 provided forthe purpose'by any means such as machine screws 39. These covers present a: minimum permanent opening governed by the clearance necessary for brokeirrail operation of the gap-filling element 23, Fig. 3.

From theforegoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; the'advant'ages of the construction and method of" operation will' be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of op'e-rat-iom together Wllfll the 'dev1ce wh1ch I noW GOHSlClQl to be the best embodiment thereof,;1dcs1r e to have it understood that the device sl-iown is'merely illustrative and that sucli cl'ianges may be made, when desired; as; fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having" thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the Unit-ed States; the-following:

1 In arailroad crossing; a bio-ck forming i a; housing; said-*housing adapted to support thekend sof the rails whereby rail gaps are provided in the block, means carried by the 1 block and filling said gaps to present-conti-nuous' rail 'joints 'thereat, and said gapfill ing means provided with additional means and carried by the block to automatically close the joint afterthe' passage of the said Wheel thereover, thehousing having a closed bottomand being adapted to receive and return a lubricant for submergingthe said last-named means.

2; In combination with the rails of a railroad crossing, a houSingsblock, opposed extensions on the outer sides of the" block" adapted to receive and support the rail ends of? the crossing; one unaligned pair of'rail ends meeting in the block and a similar pair terminating at inner'faces, of the block and providing unaligned'railf'. gapsv in the block,

movable-rail elements supported in the block and filling said gaps whereby" a normally continuous crossing is elfe'cted and means Within the block torestore' the said elements to normal position immediately after being moved.

a: In combination with therails'ofa rail road crossing, ahousing block," opposed extensions on theoutensides of the block adapted to receive and support" the 'rail ends" of the crossing, one unaligned pairflof rail ends meetingin: the block and a similarvpair terminating at inner. facesyof the block and 7 providing unaligned rail gaps in the*b1ock, pivotal movable rail elements supported in the block and filling said" gaps whereby a normally continuous crossing is'etfect'edg and means within the block to restore the said elements to normal position" immediately after being; moved; said rail elements and means comprising filler blocks having a pivotal bearing and a compressive bearing and anchored spring means within the housing block, and said filler blocks adapted to utilize the said compressive bearing when in unmovable service and in compressive stress and the said pivotal bearing when in movable service and in uncompressive stress.

4. In combination with the rails of a railroad crossing, a housing block, having a closed bottom and an open top, opposed extensions on the outer sides of the block adapted to receive and support the rail ends of the crossing, one unaligned pair of rail ends meeting in the block and a similar pair terminating at inner faces of the block and providing unaligned rail gaps in the block, pivotal movable rail elements supported in the block and filling said gaps whereby a normally continuous crossing is effected, and means within the block to restore the said elements to normal position immediately after being moved, said rail elements and means comprising filler blocks having a pivotal bearing and a compressive bearing and anchored spring means Within the housing block, and said filler blocks adapted to utilize the said compressive bearing when in unmovable serviceand in compressive stress and the said pivotal bearing when in movable service and in uncompressive stress, and 1 said housing block adapted to be filled with a lubricant and a cover for closing said open In combination with the rails of a railroad crossing, a housing block, opposed extensions on the outer sides of the block adapted to receive and support the'rail ends of the crossing, one unaligned pair of rail ends being coterminous in the block and a similar pair terminating in the block in spaced relation from the first pair to provide unaligned rail gaps in the block, and displaceable rail 7 elements supported in the block and normally disposed to fill said gaps whereby continuous rail crossings are provided. g

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

' RALPH E. COTTER. 

